Descripción de Officials address security & public safety of idled refineries:

Delaware County Emergency Service officials, headed by Council Chairman Tom McGarrigle, joined State Rep. Stephen Barrar, municipal officials, fire marshals and environmental experts in a special meeting Thursday to discuss the safety of Delaware County's two major refineries that are now idled. Sun Co. closed its facility in Marcus Hook and ConocoPhillips has closed its facility in Trainer. Emergency officials are working to ensure that proper fire, safety and hazardous material procedures are in place at the two facilities. "The safety and security of all of our residents is a priority for County Council and we intend to work with all parties to make sure these sites are secured, monitored and protected," said Chairman McGarrigle, who is the co-chairman of the Delaware County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). "We don't want anyone living near these refineries to think that their safety might be at risk and we want to clarify how the local emergency responders will be impacted by these closures. We want to assure everyone that these refineries remain under the watch of trained safety staff." On Thursday, Feb. 9, two separate meetings were held at the County Emergency Services Center, first regarding the Sun Co. facility and the second regarding the ConocoPhillips plant. The meetings were attended by elected officials and fire marshals from Marcus Hook, Trainer and Lower Chichester. Ed Truitt, director of the County Emergency Services, and Ed Doyle, LEPC co-chairman, distributed emergency response plans that address the emergency response at these two sites, and the continuing presence of fire and safety crews from each company at their sites. State Rep. Stephen Barrar, majority chairman of the House Emergency Preparedness Committee in Harrisburg, also attended the meetings. "We have been assured that Sun and ConocoPhillips will continue to maintain surveillance and emergency services, including industrial fire-fighting equipment, at these sites. There are potential fire and hazardous material risks that we need to be prepared for," Doyle said. Doyle explained that the scenarios are different at the two plants. Because each facility is removing or reducing the amount of hazardous materials on site, the law requires that a new plan be developed to ascertain any hazardous material threats that still exist at the refineries during and after the shutdown phase. "The companies have assured us that they will maintain their fire and safety crews at both facilities," Doyle said. Rep. Barrar held hearings in January regarding the hazardous material concerns. At that time, Ed Truitt requested updated hazardous material information and response plans from both facilities. "The decision of these companies to close these refineries has been devastating to our residents. That said, these communities can at least be relieved that we will not permit these companies to walk away and leave any of our residents or first responders in an unsafe situation," McGarrigle said. McGarrigle said the focus of Thursday's meeting was on public safety, but he stressed that local, state and federal officials have not given up on the sale or continued operation of these two refineries.